Selective push-button electric switch device



Jan. 14, 1964 M. W. BOESL ET AL SELECTIVE PUSH-BUTTON ELECTRIC SWITCH DEVICE Filed March 26, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS. MART/N W BOESL RICHARD W. JOHNSON BY LAW A TTO/QA/EV Jan. 14, 1964 M. w. BOESL ET AL SELECTIVE PUSH-BUTTON ELECTRIC SWITCH DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 26, 1962 oooaeeaq INVENTORS, MART/N W B0551 R/CHARD W JOHNSON BY M4112 qzu- A TTQIQA/EV United States Patent 3,118,025 SELECTEVE PUSI-LEU'IITON ELEQTREC SWETCH DEVIQE l't iart n V Eeesl, 1926 Lililian Hobart, Ind and Riehard W. Johnson, 2122 W. 9th Ave, Gary, Ind. Filed 26, 1662, Ser. No. 182,533 5 (Zlaiins. (El. 2tltl5) This invention relates generally to contact switch devices and more particularly to a switch device for making one or more selective contacts and breaking said contacts when succeeding selective contacts are made.

An important object of this invention is to provide a contact switch for selectively closing one or more electric circuits and breaking said circuits upon selectively closing other circuits.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a switch device for selectively closing, successively, one or a plurality of interconnected electric circuits without effecting circuits intermediate the circuit opened and the circuit closed.

Still another object or" this invention is to provide a switch device for controlling a plurality of electric circuits which is compact, easy of operation, economical to manufacture and adaptable to many applications.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become more apparent from a careful study of the following detailed description and drawings in which a preferred embodiment is described and illustrated.

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view showing generally the switch device of the present invention,

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of the switch device taken along line 22 of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view of the switch device taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 1, a part thereof being broken I away at the push-rod end to show the spring means engagement therewith,

FIGURE 4 is a plan elevation of the switch device showing the housing partly broken away to reveal the push-rods which are singly or multiply depressed for electric contact and the lock means for retaining and releasing said contact, and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary view of push-rods taken along line 55 of FIGURE 3.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 16 designates generally the switch device of our invention. It comprises a supporting means which is shown for convenience in the form of a housing 12 having top and bottom walls 14 and 16, respectively, and side walls 16, 26", 22 and 24-. Top and bottom walls 14 and 16 are provided with a plurality of holes 26 and 28 preferably aligned in laterally spaced rows 36 and 32, respectively. Holes 26 and 23 in rows 30 and 32 receive a plurality of push-rods 32 which are longitudinally movable therein. At this point, it should be understood that the principle of our invention is applicable to one or more rows of any number of push-rods 34, each controlling an electric circuit. Each one of said push-rods 3d are provided with a plurality of vertically spaced diametral holes 36 therethrough and each thereof receiving the cantilever end 33 of one of a plurality of vertically spaced electric conducting wires 5&9. The plurality of electric conducting wires 46' associated with each 3,118,025 Patented Jan. 14, 1964 one of said push-rods 34 are laterally spaced from each other and are axially aligned with said diametral holes 36. The other end 42 of the electric conducting wires 40 are fixed by any convenient method to side walls 22 and 24 and are thereby supported in cantilever fashion. The fixed ends 42 of each plurality of vertically spaced wires 49 associated with any one of the push-rods 34 are selectively connected to an electric circuit 44 so that upon con tact being made with current conducting elements by wires 40, the circuit 44 connecting the fixed ends 42 of said wires 40 will distribute the current in accordance with the laws of circuitry.

A plurality of current conducting bus bars 46 are supported, as shown by side walls 18 and 20, horizontally aligned in spaced relation intermediate rows and 32 of push-rods 34 and side walls 22 and 24, respectively. The spacing arrangement of said bus bars 46 and said wires are such that each wire 40 of a plurality thereof in a laterally aligned row is spaced from a bus bar 46 when the push-rod 34 associated therewith is not in close contact position.

The bottom end of each push-rod 34 extends through holes 26 and 28 in bottom wall 16 and is provided with a hole 48 and a slot 50 as more clearly illustrated in FIGURE 3. Inserted in hole 48 and slot 50 of each push-rod 34 is the cantilever end of spring 52. Springs 52 are fixed to housing 12 by any convenient means such as 54 and serve to axially retain push-rods 34 and urge push-rods 34 toward the raised position. A felt stop 56 is bonded to wall 16 providing a sound-proof stop for arm 58 of each spring 52. We prefer to provide a plastic sleeve 60 on said arm 58 to increase the contact surface on the felt stop 56 to prevent excessive wear thereof.

A lug 62 is provided adjacent the top ends of each pushrod 34 to engage locking bars 64 and 66. Locking bars 64 and 66 are each connected at opposite ends to a pair of pivot arms 68 and 70, respectively. The other ends of pivot arm pairs 68 and 70 are fixed to pivot bars 72 and 74, respectively. Pivot bars 72 and 74 are pivotally supported by side walls 18 and 26. The ends of coil spring 76 are connected to locking bars 64 and 66 and serve to hold locking bars 64 and 66 against push-rods 34 of rows 30 and 32 immediately below lugs 62 thereon. Lugs 62 are generally convexly shaped to function as a cam surface when moving against locking bars 64 and 66. Also provided is a bar 78 which is positioned to rest cross-wise on locking bars 64 and 66. Push button 80 is fixedly mounted on cross-bar 78 and is axially movable and guided in hole 82 of top wall 14 and extends above the top wall 14 of housing 12 between rows 36 and 32 of push-rods 34.

FIGURE 5 illustrates a novel placement of cantilever end 38 of wires 40 relative to the diametral holes 36 in push-rods 34. The cantilever ends 38 of wires 46 make contact with one side of holes 36 when push-rods 34 are in open-contact position. When a push-rod 3 is axially or longitudinally moved to flex wires 46 associated therewith against bus bars 46, the concave peripheral surface of diametral holes 36 will cam the cantilever end 3 8 of wires 40 sideways to obtain a swiping contact with bus bars 46 and thereby render said contact surfaces selfcleaning.

When it is desired that a row or a plurality of rows of laterally aligned wires 40 constituting a portion of circuit having terminal ends connected to any of the ends 42 of wires 49 be supplied with current to electrically actuate a motor or device (not shown) connected in said circuit, a push-rod 34, or a plurality thereof, which is associated with said row of wires 46, is moved downwardly against the urging of its spring 52, thereby flexing said wires it) downward against bus bars d6 with a self-cleaning, swiping action as described above. Lug 62 on push-rod 34 moves against locking bar 64 (or as causing said locking bar to pivot out of the way. When said lug 62 moves below locking bar 64-, push-rod 34 has moved downward sufiiciently to make a good electrical contact between wires 4% and bus bars 46. Looking bar 64 being connccted to spring 76 is thereby urged to pivotly return against push-rods 34. Said depressed push-rod 34 will remain locked in this electrically-closed position because 62 on said push-rod 3 is retained by locking bar 64. The upward urging force exerted by spring 52 on push-rod 34 is not sufiicient to cam locking bar 64 outwar ly because the movement of lug 62 is now against the direction of pivot required by locking bar 64 to clear lug 62. When, howe er, any other push-rod 34, or a plurality thereof, in the same row 36 is depressed or moved downward to cause electrical contact between wires 40 associated therewith and the bus bars 46, lugs 62 on said succeedingly depressed push-rods 34, will similarly cause locking bar 64 (or 66) to pivot away from said row of push-rods 34 and clear the lugs 62 thereon. When this occurs, the lugs 62 on push-rods 34 which were locked below the locking bar 64 (or 66) will then clear said locking bar 643 and push-rod 34 previously depressed to make electric contact between its conducting wires 4t and bus bars 26, will be raised to the electrically open-contact position by urging of spring 76.

It is apparent that previously closed contacts will be opened by closing other contacts. However, when it is desired to open or release all contacts, push button St? is depressed. Cross-bar 7S connecting push button 8%, by being mounted to engage all of said locking bars, will cause said locking bars to simultaneously pivot away from all of said rows of push-rods 34 thereby releasing all pushrods 3 in closed-contact position.

Though We have described a single preferred embodimerit of the invention, it is realized that changes and modifications may be made in the device by those skilled in the art. For example, by merely changing the relative position of bus bars 4-6 to the rows of Wires 4% respectively associated with the several bus bars 46, the switch device may be made a normally closed contact switch instead of a normally open contact switch as above described and therefore, upon moving downward any of the push-rods 3 contacts between bus bars 46 and wires 49 associated with said push-rods 34 are broken and the corresponding circuits are interrupted. Of course, by changing the relative position of one or more, but not all, of the bus bars 46 to said rows of wires 40, the switch device may make a normally closed contact switch in part and a normally open contact switch in part. Therefore, what we claim as our invention is set out in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. An electric contact switch device comprising;

a frame structure;

a plurality of push-rods being laterally aligned in a plurality of rows, each of said push-rods having a plurality of spaced diametral holes;

a plurality of wires being laterally aligned in a plurality of rows, each of said rows of wires connecting said frame structure and a push-rod, one end of each of said wires being fixed to said frame structure, and the other end thereof passing through said diametral hole in said push-rod;

said one end of said wires fixed to said frame structure being electrically connected selectively together forming a multiplicity of electric circuits;

a plurality of electric condt 'ng bars being laterally aligned in a plurality of TOMS, each of said rows of latera ly aligned conducting bars being spaced from a row of push-rods, each of said electric conducting bars in each of said rows b ng spaced between adjacent wires laterally ali ned in said plurality of rows of wires connecting said row of push-rods;

said push-rods being longitudinally movable to flex said wires connected thereto against said electric conducting bars to make contact therewith;

each of said push-rods having a camming surface projecting therefrom;

a plurality of shaft means pivotally mounted on said frame structure, each of said shaft means being adjacent a row of push-rods for contacting engagement with said push-rods, each of said shaft means being pivotally movable by a cumming surface when a push-rod in a row adjacent therewith is longitudinally moved to flex said wires connected therewith against said electric conducting bars, and pivotally immovable by said camming surface when said wires are in contact with said electric conducting bars; 7

spring means engaging each of said push-rods urging said push-rods to flex said wires away from said elec tric conducting oars when said shaft means engaging said row of push-rods is pivoted away therefrom; and

means for pivotally moving said plurality of shaft means away from said plurality of rows of pushrods.

2. The electric contact switch of claim 1 further characterized by;

a second spring means for urging said shaft means against said rows of push-rods; and

said means for pivotally moving said plurality of shaft means from said plurality of rows of push-rods comprising;

a cross-bar engaging said plurality of shaft means;

and a push-button means connecting said crossbar for moving said cross-bar against said shaft means to pivotally move said shaft means away from said rows of push-rods. v p

3. An electric contact switch device comprising;

a frame structure;

said frame structure including opposed panels having guide means, second opposed panels, and third opposed panels;

a plurality of push-rods being laterally aligned ina plurality of rows in said first named opposed panels;

said push r-eds being longitudinally movable in said guide means;

each of said push-rods having a plurality of spaced diametral holes;

a plurality of wires being laterally aligned in a plurality of rows, each of said plurality of rows of wires connecting said second opposed panels and one of said push-rods;

one end of said wires connecting said phirality of push-rods in one of said rows thereof being fixed to one of said second opposed panels, one end o said wires connecting said plurality of push-rods in the other of said rows thereof being fixed to the other of said second opposed panels, and the other end of said wires being free for flexing movement, said free end of each of said wires being received by said diametral holes in said push-rods;

said one end of said wires fixed to said second opposed panels of said frame structure being electrically connected selectively together forming a multiplicity of electric circuits;

a plurality of electric conducting bars being supported at the ends thereof by said third opposed panels of said frame structure spaced from a row of push-rods toward said one of said second opposed panels,

another plurality of electric conducting bars being supported at the ends thereof by said third opposed panels of said frame structure spaced from another of said rows of said push-rods toward said other of said second opposed panels, each of said electric conducting bars of each plurality thereof spaced from a row of push-rods being spaced between adja cent wires laterally aligned in said plurality of rows of wires connecting said row of push-rods;

said push-rods being longitudinally movable in said guide means of said first named opposed panels to flex said wires connected therewith against said electric conducting bars;

each of said push-rods having a camming surface projecting therefrom;

a plurality of shaft means pivotally mounted on said third opposed panels of said frame structure, each of said shaft means being adjacent a row of pushrods for contacting engagement with said camming surfaces, each of said shaft means being pivotally movable by a camming surface when a push-rod in a row adjacent therewith is longitudinally moved in one direction to flex said wires connecting said push rod against said electric conducting bars, and pivotally immovable by said camming surface when said push-rod is urged to longitudinally move in the opposite direction to return said Wires away from said electric conducting bars;

spring means engaging each of said push-rods urging said push-rods to longitudinally move in said opposite direction to return said wires away from said electric conducting bars when said shaft means engaging said camming surfaces of said push-rods is pivoted away therefrom;

a second spring means for urging each of said shaft means against a row of push-rods adjacent therewith;

a cross-bar engaging said plurality of shaft means; and

a push-button means connecting said cross-bar and longitudinally movable in said guide means of said first mentioned opposed panels for moving said cross-bar against said shaft means to pivotally move said plurality of shaft means away from said plurality of rows of push-rods.

4. An electric contact switch device comprising;

a housing;

said. housing including opposed panels having guide means, second opposed panels and third opposed panels;

a plurality of push-rods being laterally aligned in a row in said first named opposed panels;

a second plurality of push-rods being laterally aligned in a second row in said first named opposed panels, said second row of push-rods being laterally spaced from said first named row of push-rods;

each of said push-rods being longitudinally movable in said guide means;

a plurality of wires being laterally aligned in a plurality of rows, said wires in each of said rows engaging a push-rod in a row thereof;

one end of said plurality of wires being fixed to one of said second opposed panels, the other end of said wires being free for flexing movement;

a second plurality of wires being laterally aligned in a plurality of rows, said wires in each of said rows engaging a push-rod in said second row thereof;

one end of said second plurality of wires being fixed to the other of said second opposed panels, the other end thereof being free for flexing movement;

said one end of said plurality of wires fixed to one of said second opposed panels being electrically connected together forming a multiplicity of electric circuits, and one end of said second plurality of wires fixed to the other of said second opposed panels being electrically connected together forming a second multiplicity of circuits;

each of said push-rods having a plurality of spaced wire engaging means for engaging said free end of said wires for flexing the same;

a plurality of electric conducting bars being supported at the ends thereof by said third opposed panels of said frame structure spaced intermediate a row of push-rods and said one of said second opposed panels, a second plurality of electric conducting bars being supported at the ends thereof by said third opposed panels spaced intermediate said second row of pushrods and said other of said second opposed panels, each of said electric conducting bars of said plurality thereof and said second plurality thereof being spaced between adjacent wires laterally aligned in said plurality of rows;

said push-rods being longitudinally movable in said guide means to fiexsaid wires engaged thereto against said electric conducting bars;

each of said push-rods having a camming surface projecting therefrom;

a shaft means pivotally mounted on said third opposed panels of said frame structure engaging said first named row of push-rods;

a second shaft means pivotally mounted on said third opposed panels engaging said second row of pushrods;

any of said shaft means being pivotally movable by a camming surface when a push-rod in a row engaged thereby is longitudinally moved in one direction to flex said wires engaged thereto against said electric conducting bars, and pivotally immovable by said camming surface when said push-rod is urged to longitudinally move in the opposite direction to return said wires engaged thereto away from said electric conducting bars;

spring means engaging each of said push-rods urging said push-rods to longitudinally move in said opposite direction to return said wires engaged thereto away from said electric conducting bars when said shaft means engaging said row of push rods is pivoted away therefrom;

a second spring means for urging said first and second shaft means against said first and second row of push-rods;

a cross-bar engaging said first named shaft means and said second shaft means; and

a push-button means connecting said cross-bar and longitudinally movable in said guide means of said first mentioned opposed panels for moving said cross-bar against said first named shaft means and said second shaft means to pivotally move said first and second shaft means out of engagement with said first and second rows of push-rods.

5. An electric contact switch device comprising:

a frame structure;

a plurality of push-rods being laterally aligned in a row, each of said push-rods having a plurality of spaced diametral holes;

a plurality of wires being laterally aligned in a pinrality of rows, each of said rows of wires connecting said frame structure and a push-rod, one end of each of said wires being fixed to said frame structure, and the other end thereof passing through one of said diametral holes in said push-rod;

said one end of said wires fixed to said frame structure being electrically connected selectively together forming a multiplicity of electric circuits;

a plurality of electric conducting bars being laterally aligned, each of said laterally aligned conducting bars being spaced from adjacent wires laterally aligned in said rows of wires;

said push-rods being longitudinally movable to flex said wires connected thereto against said electric conducting bars to make contact therewith;

each of said push-rods having a camming surface projecting therefrom;

shaft means pivotally mounted on said frame structure, said shaft means being adjacent said row of push rods for contacting engagement with said push-rods, said shaft means being pivotally movable by a camming surface when a push-rod is longitudinally moved to flex said wires connected therewith against said electric conducting bars, and pivotally immovable by said camming surfaces when said wires are in contact with said electric conducting bars;

spring means engaging each of said push-rods urging said push-rods to fiex said Wires away from said electric conducting bars when said shaft means engag- Referen es Qitcd in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Forsberg Nov. 18, Gent Mar. 24, Bowman Dec. 18, Hung-Tu Tseng et a1. Apr. 30, Wijl nan July 7, 

1. AN ELECTRIC CONTACT SWITCH DEVICE COMPRISING; A FRAME STRUCTURE; A PLURALITY OF PUSH-RODS BEING LATERALLY ALIGNED IN A PLURALITY OF ROWS, EACH OF SAID PUSH-RODS HAVING A PLURALITY OF SPACED DIAMETRAL HOLES; A PLURALITY OF WIRES BEING LATERALLY ALIGNED IN A PLURALITY OF ROWS, EACH OF SAID ROWS OF WIRES CONNECTING SAID FRAME STRUCTURE AND A PUSH-ROD, ONE END OF EACH OF SAID WIRES BEING FIXED TO SAID FRAME STRUCTURE, AND THE OTHER END THEREOF PASSING THROUGH SAID DIAMETRAL HOLE IN SAID PUSH-ROD; SAID ONE END OF SAID WIRES FIXED TO SAID FRAME STRUCTURE BEING ELECTRICALLY CONNECTED SELECTIVELY TOGETHER FORMING A MULTIPLICITY OF ELECTRIC CIRCUITS; A PLURALITY OF ELECTRIC CONDUCTING BARS BEING LATERALLY ALIGNED IN A PLURALITY OF ROWS, EACH OF SAID ROWS OF LATERALLY ALIGNED CONDUCTING BARS BEING SPACED FROM A ROW OF PUSH-RODS, EACH OF SAID ELECTRIC CONDUCTING BARS IN EACH OF SAID ROWS BEING SPACED BETWEEN ADJACENT WIRES LATERALLY ALIGNED IN SAID PLURALITY OF ROWS OF WIRES CONNECTING SAID ROW OF PUSH-RODS; SAID PUSH-RODS BEING LONGITUDINALLY MOVABLE TO FLEX SAID WIRES CONNECTED THERETO AGAINST SAID ELECTRIC CONDUCTING BARS TO MAKE CONTACT THEREWITH; EACH OF SAID PUSH-RODS HAVING A CAMMING SURFACE PROJECTING THEREFROM; A PLURALITY OF SHAFT MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME STRUCTURE, EACH OF SAID SHAFT MEANS BEING ADJACENT A ROW OF PUSH-RODS FOR CONTACTING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID PUSH-RODS, EACH OF SAID SHAFT MEANS BEING PIVOTALLY MOVABLE BY A CAMMING SURFACE WHEN A PUSH-ROD IN A ROW ADJACENT THEREWITH IS LONGITUDINALLY MOVED TO FLEX SAID WIRES CONNECTED THEREWITH AGAINST SAID ELECTRIC CONDUCTING BARS, AND PIVOTALLY IMMOVABLE BY SAID CAMMING SURFACE WHEN SAID WIRES ARE IN CONTACT WITH SAID ELECTRIC CONDUCTING BARS; SPRING MEANS ENGAGING EACH OF SAID PUSH-RODS URGING SAID PUSH-RODS TO FLEX SAID WIRES AWAY FROM SAID ELECTRIC CONDUCTING BARS WHEN SAID SHAFT MEANS ENGAGING SAID ROW OF PUSH-RODS IS PIVOTED AWAY THEREFROM; AND MEANS FOR PIVOTALLY MOVING SAID PLURALITY OF SHAFT MEANS AWAY FROM SAID PLURALITY OF ROWS OF PUSHRODS. 